Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

Jenn

Deb - Can I move into that house?

I cleared the message board and we are looking for some new games to add, and we will be changing the poll. I think we found a great chat board to also add and remove the old one, so, we'll see.

Lain had a program tonight (3rd and 4th graders). We took some pics. They did so well!

My daughter is sick with I think the tummy flu :-(, so her girlfriend (Heidi) came over and stayed with her while we were gone tonight.
I wore a jacket tonight, NOT a winter coat!!! Yeah!!!!! LoL
Still a bit chilly, but not freezing!

Have a wonderful night Angels -
Tina

Deb, that was great! Just what I was thinking! And I like that fence better anyway.
The mom kitty is not doing very well:( she is very listless right now, they ran a ton of tests but couldn't find anything wrong, I hope we don't lose her:(

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for welcoming me. This is just what I need to be a part of after this awful winter. I have been meaning to jump on earlier to post but these few weeks have been awful. I have been telling Tina about our terrible winter. I live outside of Oswego, yes the one you all saw on the news all winter...lol. It wasn't so bad as we are used to that kind of snow, but it is this melting that has been awful. We got one good day last week that actually got over 60! Well with that one nice day came the melting of those 6-8 foot banks of snow.
Our basement flooded because our sump pump didn't kick in. Then our septic was having major issues because the water tables are so high, so we had to get that pumped out. Then because the basement flooded our hot water heater went out-luckily it was an easy fix. Then our dryer broke and we have been dealing with that. Then yesterday the furnace broke. It was only 50 in my house and getting colder. My son and I stayed upstairs all day to keep warm. No fireplace here. The water ruined the fan motor from the flooding. My step Dad and Mom came over and were trying to help us get it fixed. The temps have dropped again and it is only 20 today with bad winds. Thankfully they got it to at least get some hot air going through. He has to come back to fix the fan part. So my winter has been a nightmare.
I am really looking forward to Spring.
I will have to go back and read some of the post to catch up and get to know everyone in the group. As soon as things are back to normal here I will be able to jump on more often.
Just wanted to poke my head in and say hi to everyone while I had a chance. I really appreciate the warm welcome and really look forward to being part of this group.

~Heather

Big Big Welcome Heather and Jenn. So nice you could join us.looking forward to getting to know each of you : )

Such cute pics of everyones furbabies : ) I don't have any..just featheredbabies...LOL..Deb and Tina have both.Anyone else have birdies??

Tina,post a pic of the T shirt when your hubby gets one finished.I am so anxious to see what they look like.This is so exciting isn't it?

Well I better go check a few other forums and then get off my behind and get some more seeds started.

Hope everyone has a great day : ))
Hugs,Nancy

Happy First Day of Spring Angels!!!

Everyone should have gotten 2 e-mails from me today.
1). New User Name and Password for the site
2). An "invite" to be able to join in the chatroom.
(only members with an "invite" can now enter the chatroom)

If you didn't receive one, or both of these e-mails, please let me know and I will resend.

Jenn - I haven't gotten your questionnaire yet. As soon as I do, it will be posted in the members info section of the site.

Sending warm Spring thoughts out -
Tina

Heather I sympathize about your septic system. Ours overfloweth today......... from all the snow melting. We have a rule here though. Whoever flushes and overflows gets to clean up the mess. LOL it wasn't me.

Tina, got your email. Glad we are staying together.

Hugs,
Mariann

Tina, I have a copy of Jenns questionaire.I will email it to you as soon as I am done typing this : )

Yeah!! I agree Mariann.I am so happy we are staying together as a group : ) Sorry to hear of the septic tank troubles.We always used to have terrible problems.Since the city hooked us directly to their system,thankfully we have been problem free.

Have a nice evening everyone : )
Hugs,
Nancy

I only got one e-mail
Membername and password.

I used to have Cockatiels, my mother used to raise them (along with keets, doves, finches and lovebirds)
I had 2 for a long time a blonde one and a gray.
My mother still has a gray that I may inherit soon though

Welcome to Jenn and to Heather! I am so looking forward to swapping with each of you at some point. Heather, I am also looking forward to sowing some of the seeds you sent to me via drippy's theme garden bed swap earlier this year. That was such an awesome swap. I am a great admirer of your zoo bed, it's awesome! And I'm so very sorry to hear all the gruesome details about your horrible winter! My year started out pretty crummy too, but this group helps cheer me up!

I am thrilled that we are staying together too. Got both your emails, Tina. Looking forward to seeing what that cool T-shirt looks like!

Mariann, hope your foot is feeling better tonight.

Debbya, thanks for the heads-up on my package, I will keep watching the mailman. I WILL get Julie's out this week, tomorrow most probably. Had DH working at home today, and he cramps my style!

Have a good night everyone!

Alison

hello
I have been very buisy trying to get all my seedlings separated and transplanted. in some of my trays the germination rate was toooo good. I separated my cosmos and ended up with hundreds, I don't have enough room, thank goodness it's going to be warm enough to put some out side.

I planted my sweetpeas and poppies today, and moved and devided two large sedums.

my columbine experiment failed, I planted the seeds in the fall indoors and let them grow till jan. then I put them on the un-heated porch to winter them and was hopping they would all come back and bloom this year. well out of about 125 plants only about 6 are comming back. live and learn.

welcome to heather and jenn, I'm fairly new too.

on the t-shirts did you say they are iron on? if so can I just get 2 iron ons? I have a shirt I would like to put it on ( I'm a little picky and it's hard to find a shirt I like)and I would like one for a tote bag for my garden gear.

tina - sorry I left the chat room so early last night, you seemed buisy and I needed to work on my cosmos.

love ya'll
micyrey

I'm just popping in quick to thank Debbie for the wonderful package that arrived today! I just love the cute resin bunny, he looks so perky and will look just great out in my garden this spring. Also got an adorable resin gnome, a box of seeds (Oooo, poppies and hollyhocks and calendula, oh my! Also some Carolina allspice, and Indian hawthorne, and an unknown daisy -- I love the seeds that are a surprise!) I've never grown the allspice or the hawthorne, so they will be a fun experiment. She also sent me a beautiful magnetic notepad with a basket of flowers on it, and a windsock.

Also -- and I know this is going to sound strange -- but thanks for the styrofoam peanuts! I have four big containers out on my patio that I filled with potting soil a few years ago, and they are as heavy as sin to move. So this year my plan is to dump them and refill the bottom with styrofoam and fill just the top 8 inches or so with soil. So I am saving packing peanuts for that.

Thanks again, Debbie!

I promise, promise, promise that I will put Julie's package in the mail tomorrow. I got sidetracked today by winter sowing and got up such a head of steam with that I just plumb lost track of time!

Alison

Mariann, how is your foot? Can you walk around without any pain?

Heather, I'm sorry to hear about all the bad things that happened to you. It sounds like a nightmare.
I'm glad to see that it is all behind you now. Congrats on the publication of your zoo garden. I bet your daughter is very proud of you and her garden. You are an amazing mommy!

Tina, I just checked on your package and it left Des Moines this morning around 3a.m. you should get it sometime today. Be on the look out for the UPS truck.

The weather has been great around here and for the past two days I have set out all of my plants and some more bulbs that I ordered. I'm also in the process of creating a shade bed, sofar I have planted lots of hostas, ferns a couple of bleeding hearts some lenten roses, columbine, a mouse plant and some heucheras. Do any of you have any other ideas of what would do well in the shade?
I also realized how many muscles a human body has, that I was not aware before.LOL ouch, it even hurts when I laugh. Oh well, no pain no gain, right?
I have to get everyone out of the house now so I can go back out and play some more.
Talk to you all later.

Good afternoon Angels!

The UPS guy dropped off the most AMAZING box at my doorstep about an hour or so ago! It was from an Angel named Deanie! ;-)

Before I list everything, I have to tell you all that I was doing the snoopy happy dance all around the room pulling out all the goodies. Rick and I was "ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhing" and "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhing" at every item I would pull out of this monsterous box.
OK...... here it is...all of the wonderful things I received:
Hosta "Julie Morss" (I didn't have this one!)
Toadlilies ( I know just where I am going to plant these!)
lilies "Arena" (I didn't have these!!)
Lily - Melodie Lily" (a double bloom and it's pink!!!!!!)
mixed asiactic lilies (also know right where these are going!!!)
PINK LILY OF THE VALLEY!!!!!! (Whooooo-hooooooo baby!!!!!)
Astilbe "Koln" - (oh yes, it's pink!!!)
Dinner plate Dahlia "Lucky Number" (2) (Again, they are pink!!!! and I realllllllllllllly wanted a diner plate this year!!!!!)

Instant action Houseplant food tables - Miracle-Gro
Birdfood bell (my birdies are loving it as they have been having to clean up their mess on the ground out there for the past 3 days because I ran out of food and haven't had the chance to pick anymore up yet!!! Was that a "run'on sentence or what???, LoL)
An AWESOME bath set that came in a beautiful hand bag. The fragrance is out of this world!I can't even begin to list all of the lovelies in this bag. And I can't wait to use it all tonight!!!!
A magnetic notepad which is now on my fridge!
3 candles!
1). My absolute favoritest scent in the world. It reminds me of my dad. "Hazelnut Cream" I have it lit right now and it smells so good!
The other two are aboslutely gorgeous. They are in a ceramic container and are just beautiful. One has the scent of "Summer Sunflower" and the other is " Fresh Morning Blossom". Ohhhh they smell just wonderful. They are almost too pretty to burn, LoL.
and last but not least, an oil dipping set! It came with the olive oil, an oil pitcher (is that what it's called, LoL) and four dipping saucers. It is absolutely gorgeous. I will be using these tonight at dinner.

Deanie - You sure know how to make a girl happy, and boy can you pack a mean box woman!!!!
I just love and adore everything you chose for me. I will think of you often. I will think of you everytime I walk by one of the plants you sent and think about how much you thought of me. I will also think about you everytime I look at the candles or use the dipping set.
The time and care, and how much thought really shows. I just can't thank you enough. I love everything so much.
You are such a generous soul.
Today was like Christmas!

Big, huge hugs to you!

Hugs to everyone.
Tina

Julie, Your package is on its way. DC # 0304 1560 0004 0205 8729. I sent it Parcel Post, so it should be there in 4 to 10 days. But I sure hope the P.O. doesn't take ten days to ship a package one state over! Hope you like it!

Bogartbaby, what is a mouse plant? Sounds like something I could maybe put in my cat memorial garden.

Alison

Tina, I'm glad to hear that everything made it o.k. and that you liked it. Don't forget to e-mail me as soon as you can start working your ground. ;)

Alison, this is a mouse plant( Arisarum proboscideum)
{{gwi:1257647}}
They look like little mice, I just could not resist and ordered it. I hope it stays alive, it is supposed to spread and I hope it does it fast so I can share.

OMG, Deanie! That is absolutely adorable! I love it. Where did you order yours from? Thanks so much for posting the picture of it with the Latin name.

Alison

Alison, I ordered it from WorldPlants.com
The way they pack and ship the plants is out of this world. I was very happy with everything I ordered from them.

Deanie,if that isn't just the coolest looking plant! I love it.Alison,that would be a perfect addition to your kitty memorial garden(thats such a neat idea).I have never seen anything like that plant : )
Mariann how is your foot doing.I hope its healing well for you : )
Well Its 75 degrees here and I planted my peas in the garden.Which reminds me..does anyone know of anything other than a fence that will help keep the bunnies away from my peas once they come up? And Nooooo Bunny Stew is not an option!!
Good Friday is coming up fast.Does anyone else always plant their potatoes on Good Friday.It has been a tradition in my family dating clear back to I belive Jesus himself.It never fails me to get a bumper crop ; ) It was raining one year so I couldn't get them planted and they never produced near as well.I know it sounds crazy,but true!
Well I better get back out to my garden so I can admire the dirt covering my pea seeds! LOL...Simple Pleasures!!
Have a Great weekend Everyone!
Hugs,Nancy

hi
nancy - I always plant my spuds when the daffs. bloom. I don't know where I got that from but it seems to work good.
but good friday is prob. always near the time the daffs. bloom.

I have never grown morning glories, when would be the best time to plant them in zone 5?

I am having a lot of trouble with zinnias this year, many never germinated and I had lots dampen off. last year they germinated great and so far these are the only damping prob I have had this year. I didn't spray them and the soil was not very wet, I just don't know what could have happened. the easy ones are giving me trouble this year and the harder ones are going good, go figure.

I hope you all are having a geart start to spring
micyrey

Deanie-I almost got that mouse plant for the zoo garden. I didn't think it would do well here though.

Nancy-I have never grown potatoes before, but have thought about trying them. I will keep that day in mind for starting them. I think it is very neat you have that tradition in your family.

I am so jealous of all you girls talking about your gardens. My flower beds are still covered in snow. I can see our grass now though. Spring is on it's way. My bulbs are breaking ground and I can see some things were the snow has melted start to spring back up.
Nothing germinating here yet as far as wintersowing. I haven't gotten a chance to start any annuals yet. Hoping to get some started next week. It is gonna get warm for next week. However they have been saying we may see snow for Easter! I just want Spring to be here and to stay! I have had enough of this awful winter.

Hope everyone is doing great and spending lots of time outside!
Heather

The weather is great here. I have been out off and on today raking out the gardens. The tulips, and hyacinths are popping up. The sedum is going gangbusters. My geraniums look like they never even went thru a winter.

Rick is finihsing up the tree removal from the ice storm.

I marked out a bigger spot for my veggie garden this year. I started 21 tomoatoes, why? I don't know, LoL. Gotta love them maters! :-)

We are suppose to get thunderstorms tonight. I love to hear the thunder rolling.

Heather - I keep wishing REAL HARD for spring to come busting out full force for you!!!!! I keep telling the sun to go to Heather, she NEEDSSSSSSSSSSS you :-)

Nancy - I will have to plant my potatoes on Good Firday and see what happens. Last years crop didn't amount to nothing.

Mariann - How are you doing? Hope you are able to get outside and take in some fresh air.

micyrey - Maybe you should direct sow your zinnias this year. They grow so fast that I think they would be ok. I wouldn't sow any MG's for another month or so. They rot real easy and you know we are in for some good storms this year. The humidity is already starting.

micke - Where are you at? Playing in the dirt :-)

Julie ----- Marco!!!!!!!

deanie - that plant is adorable! I love the color combo.

I'm so happy that it is Friday. Everyone can just relax and enjoy spring.

Micke and Deanie - Your boxes go out Monday. Will post dc# when I get home from the PO.

Have a wonderful and enjoyable weekend Angels.
Hugs,
Tina

Tina I sent your box out and I have a DC # around here somewhere but I am too tired to find it, I will post it tomorrow when I feel better

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I'm doing great. Wearing shoes walking all over the place. It was worth the surgery to get rid of the pain from those bone spurs.

I'm jealous too Heather... We've had so much rain and snow melting that everything is sopping wet. The soil is saturated, not good for planting in the mud. I do have crocuses up though. I wish I could remember who sent them to me. Because they are yellow and they have been on my exchange list. So who ever you are thanks, I love the color.

micke, I asked my podiatrist about your bone spur. He said to put a U shaped cushion around the spur. Suggested you might find something in a shoe store or Wal Mart. The shoe would rest on the cushion instead of the spur.

Deanie I've never seen a mouse plant. It looks very interesting. I really love unusual plants.

Have tomatoes, Dahlia's, Lavender and Nicotiana popping up. I need to transplant some already. Still have an entire herb garden of seeds to plant for my daughter.

Take care
Hugs,
Mariann

Glad to hear you are hopping along good Mariann! ;-)
I am behind on starting some things, like my pepers. I only have some habanora (sp?) started. I have lots of toms. I'm so looking forward to fresh toms and greenbeans!

Today was such a beautiful day. It rained all morning and the sound of the rain was so soothing. Then I heard all the birds starting to sing. It is warm out and kind of hazy. Was a nice day to be lazy and just putter around in the yard and look at everything waking up. I have little white crocus all over the front walk just blooming their little heads off. My blues are close to blooming. I have this one small area that is spreading quite nicely with this huge purple with a yellow throat bloom. They should be blooming within the week I think (maybe sooner!)
I think some of my hyacinths was planted in a bad spot and they got too wet and rotted. I had about 30 or so of them planted there. I dug around a bit and found some rotten pieces. I have 8 planted up from t that are about 2 inches tall. I will just plant some more this fall in a better spot.
We marked where the new veggie garden will go this year. Hopefully we will be able to till it up tomorrow.
The air smells soooooooooo fresh. We slept with the window open last. I love this time of year :-)

I will be in chat tonight probably around 8:30 central time.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Heather I sent the sunshine on your way.....is it there yet :-)

Hugs,
Tina

Just wanted to stop by and say hello! I have spent the last few days working in my yard. I had a retaining wall that fell et the end of last summer so I was getting it dug up and am getting ready to put the fence in.

I will have to take some before pics so I can compare to what it looks like after I plant all of my beautiful plants.

I am so happy that I found this group and thank you so much for allowing me to join

Jennifer

Jennifer-I love before and after pics! Please take some to share with us.

Tina-I think your wishful sunfilled days for me might just have worked. We are going to be getting 60+ on monday with no rain. -insert happy dance here-...lol....

Mariann-glad to hear your back on your feet. I hope sunshine moves in for you too real soon. I know I am so antsy about getting out there to do some cleanup I didn't get around to doing before winter. I always tend to get lazy at the end of the season and then make up for it come Spring.

Well off to start the day girls-

POLO!

Sorry, I have been so busy. And my house is a mess so I gotta go clean, yuck! It was too nice this weekend to be indors.

Mariann I FINALLY got your box out today. It's been ready for a week, I am such a slacker.

think spring!!

This is what it has been doing for 2 days straight! So much for the weather man calling for sun filled days. Looks like I have to wait until thursday for any kind of sun. I guess I will go sow more seeds. Maybe I will go check my containers for any greenies. I think i will put a pot of coffee on and drool over the new wayside catalog.
Someone please send some sun my way! I am getting a bit stir crazy sitting in the house all day.

Slacker #2 checking in here, LoL

Deanie - DC# is #0306 2400 0000 0341 0142
I hope you enjoy your box as much as I enjoyed mine!!!

Micke - yours is #0306 2400 0000 0341 0159
I got your box yesterday. I of course dug right into the snickers :-)
Thank you for the stationairy paper!
Rick liked his gift :-)
I put the little stake in one of my houseplants
Where have you been hiding? Tired from your new job?
Come out and play!

I want to run this by everyone and see what you all think.
How would you like to keep the same partner every month instead of switching all the time? Give me your input. That is how we originally started this, except our partners identity was "anonymous". Now we would know who we are sending to and receiving from.
You would receive from the same gal every month, and would send to the same gal (not who would be sending to you) every month.

Heather, I really tried to get that sunshine to visit you!!!! Maybe he's layed (sp?) over somewhere between here and there and will show up soon. LoL

Deb - Are you in the flood watches and warnings where you are? I watched the weather channel last night and they was showing alot of that where you are, or there abouts.

Today has been cloudy and raining off and on all day. We had two days of temps in the 80's and today it is in the 60's, a bit chilly, LoL.
We got the veggie garden all tilled up and most of the yard all cleaned up. I thought we was going to get it finished, but we just pooped out too soon!

Oh, I have another question for you all. Would you like to do "themed" swaps monthly, or every other month?

You all think about this stuff and let me know what you would like to do.

I have a few things I need to get potted up so I gotta scoot.

Hugs Angels -
Tina

hello
well I'm going to try this again I just spent the last 30min typing a huge post and the stupid thing went zapo on me and disapiered.

Timmy and I were assinged a 15' x 20' plot at the community garden. I'm very excited I will now have the room to try many vegies I just don't have the room for at home. well I would have room if there wern't flowers all over the place.

tina about you questions
#1 I would like to trade to diffrent people each month, I think thats alot of the fun getting to know everyone by the boxes they send and going through a new persons list every month to put together a box just for them.

#2 I think theams would be great.

well I'm not going to retype my whole post I need to get off the line my dad will be calling soon and he is not doing well, with out my mom he just dose not want to live anymore. there is nothing I can do for him except be here to listen and tell him I love him.
later michelle

Hi Hortiholics!

Like Michelle, I would prefer to send to a different person every month too. I think it's a lot of fun to go through everyone's questionnaires and pick out stuff for that person. I don't mind themes, they sound like fun. I will go either way on that one.

Heather, have you gotten any sun there yet? It is bright and sunny here right now. Only 46 degrees, but it's still morning, I bet it will hit 60 by noon today. I sure hope so anyway.

Michelle, I'm so sorry about your dad. It must be rough.

I also want to remind everyone that I am going to England on March 31 for a couple of weeks, to visit my sick MIL. So whoever gets me as a pal for April, I'd like to put in a request that you send my package later, in the second half of the month. The mailman will probably just leave it on my steps, but my sister is only going to come once a day to feed the kitties. I don't want the package sitting outside overnight, or getting overlooked for two weeks.

I am going to spend today cleaning and doing stuff around the house, I hate coming home from a long trip to an untidy house.

I will be gone over Easter, so if I don't get a chance to check in again, Happy Easter everyone!

Alison

I agree with Alison and Michelle. Different members each month. I'd feel more like I belong to a group. I am in another swap where I send and receive from the same members. They are both wonderful women and I'm getting to know them. It's just that I don't get to know anyone else in the group.

Themed swaps would be great for every other month.

Weather has been beautiful for 2 days. Should continue into the week-end. Was able to get some yard work done.

Hugs,
Mariann

I also agree that it should be a different person each month. You get to know everyone that way. I like the idea of a themed swap every other month as well.

Someone will have to fill me in on when you girls swap boxes and what the rules and such are. Do you do it the first of each month?

It is finally sunny here today. I have been outside looking around to see what has started to come up and what is showing new growth. I see some of my annual dianthus wintered over and are still green. I love that. Must be they were hardier than I thought they would be. I can't wait for my first swap. I have so many plants to share in the coming months. I have been busy going through everyone's wants lists and questionares. I am getting antsy to see who I will be paired with first.

Alison- hope you have a safe trip to England. Wish it were on better terms for the reason to go. Hope it isn't anything to serious.

Michelle thats great on your garden plot. Thats a large area to fill with lots of yummies. I have leftover heirloom tom seeds if your needing any to try. I sure hope your Dad's days get a little brighter for him with the coming Spring. I can imagaine how awful that is for him. Your a great daughter to listen to him. I'm sure he must find comfort in your conversations.

Ok-must get going and enjoy the sun rays while they last. I got a bunch of pots to pull out of my shed.

Tina, about your question. Would it be easier to pull names out of the hat, pair them up and post it here. That way you would not have to e-mail everyone to inform them who their partner is every month. Just a thought.
Maybe we could pick our own partners like we did for this month?
I'm from the old school, the less confusion the better.I would like to keep my partner for ever...LOL.... but I also have to agree with Heather and Nancy, we are a group of gardeners that are trying to get to know each other and establish friendships by sharing from our gardens and our hearts.
The next two months I will be in and out of town, life will be back to normal???(LOL...LOL..) after May.
It was in the 80s today and almost to hot to work outside, all my Hostas came up, the creeping Phlox is in full bloom, some of the iris are blooming already everything just looks so alive and pretty. I can't wait to share some of the flowers with you guys.
Wishing everyone great weather so you can all go out and play in the dirt.
Big Hugs for everyone!!!!

Big Hugs back at'cha Deanie!!!!! :-)

I was on a one track mine zone yesterday, and forgot to also thank Micke for the fortune cookie bath fizzies, pruners and the Lucky Bambo. I put the lucky Bambo in a decorative bottle filled part way up with small river rock.
The pruners are perfect for trimming my houseplants. Used them today :-).
The fortune cookie bath fizzies are a new on for me. How cute. Oh, Caleb snagged the little puppy bracelet and earring, LoL.

OK, I am going to have to agree with Deanie, LoL. The easier the better! :-) This time of year gets pretty busy and hectic with the gardens waking up, etc. etc.
So, I will just let you all pick your partners!
Last month, we picked who we would like to have send to us. This month we will pick who we would like to send to!

Heather - This is a pretty laid bad group. We don't have a required time to get our packages out by as long as they are out within the month. If something comes up, and you are going to be late, just post and let us know. Some of us (as you can see above) are slackers, LoL. Not intentionally, but nonetheless, slackers ;-)
Some of us (not mentioning *Deb* and names, LoL) are always all on the ball and ahead of the game :-)
We do try and send with DC # because more and more, packages are getting lost. Other than that, we are just a group of crazy gals who like to cut up and have fun and share with each other! We like to play Marco ~ Polo and Hide n' Seek LoL.
Some of us pull a disappearing act and then *poof* here we are, heehee (Julie, oops did I say that, LoL) She is our magician (sp?)
All of the above was totally meant in fun, so PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE don't get mad at me. Give me a swift kick if you must, but please don't yell at me or give me the silent treatment. :-)

As for themes, how does a "Garden Tea/Coffee Party" sound for April?
We will all be out there digging around, planting and moving plants. Most of our time will be spent in the garden. I live on tea and cookies/finger food this time of year. What do you all think?
As soon as I get enough input, I will start a new thread for next month.

OK, I have little tom seedlings to get potted up. SO I must scoot..................
Hugssssssssssssssssssssssss Angels -
Tina

Tina, I LOVE the Garden Tea/Coffee Party theme! Since I'm going to England, I will be able to get some cool stuff, I think, to fit that theme. I think they will let me bring some tea and biscuits back home.... Who likes tea, BTW? Sing out....and maybe I'll pick you.

Heather, I wish I was going under better circumstances too. MIL had a stroke the day before Christmas last year, and has been in the hospital since then, recuperating, then getting physical therapy, etc. She seems to be in good spirits, though, and is looking forward to our visit (DH is a Brit, BTW). They think she will eventually be able to walk again, but with a walker. She's a pretty tough old bird, and until the stroke, was in perfect health.

Well, besides me requesting to receive my package late, I am of course going to have to send it late too. But hopefully it will have some unique British goodies in it.

Hugs to everyone too!

Alison

hello
I would like to announce the loss of two of my most loved friends in the garden, they were too young to die but die they did.
My butterfly bushes are my biggist loss this winter, they have shown no sign of growth, and I went to have a closer look, pushed on the limbs and the whole plant fell over. the same with the other one.
my little flutterbyes will be lost with out them.

heather - thanks for the offer, would you like me to send you something for the seeds? I will be sharing plants with some of the other gardeners at the CG, some are real novices and have no idea how to get started.

dose anyone have advice on growing eggplant? my MIL loves eggplant so I was going to try to plant her some.

I'm almost finnished with my new garden beds, I'm not saposed to be working on them becouse of my back but the neighbours son has been to buisy and I want my DH to get the soil to fill them this weekend.

I'm at a loss of what else to do for my dad, he has completly given up. he stoped taking his meds ( he is dibetic) last summer. but I told him he may not die he could go blind or loose a foot or two and then life would be evan worse. I wish I was closer, he is in Phoenix, my sister lives there but they don't get along. I should go out there this year, but it will be very hard with the boys.

see ya later
micyrey

Hello everyone! I have a brief moment so I thought I would come say hi! I don't know how all you with jobs do it, it has been 5 years since I have been in the work force, and there just is not enough time! The laundry is piling up around my ears and the floor has not been vaccumed since last weekend! It is crazy! And I am so unbelievably tired. I do manage to make one walk around my yard when I get home then I am ready to collapse. The kids don't accept that however for some reason they feel that I should still make dinner:)
Tina, I am glad the bamboo made it okay, ever since I got my bamboo in my box I have been hooked! I have like 6 of the big ones and two small ones. I put my in potting soil mixed with aquarium rock:)
I do not have a vote on the themes and partner, I don't care either way:) whatever everyone else wants.
michelle

Tina I too like the idea of a tea/coffee party theme. I am one of the hugest coffee drinkers and trying to switch to tea every once in a while. I would love to pack up a box of plants and teas/coffees and other little goodies to a buddie.

Alison how dreamy that your husbands a Brit. Those accents make my heart melt. I just love them. I bet they have lots of nice teas over in England. Can you do me a huge favor and pic me up an english pez dispenser-insert sheepish grin here- Only if you happen across one, don't go looking around. Only if like you went to the grocery store or something and they happen to have a really cool one that we wouldn't have in the states....lol...Seriously though I really hope you have a safe trip. I'm glad to hear she is a tough cookie and is doing alright.

Michelle I will send you some tom seeds. I will gather some later today to send out. I don't need anything in return as these are extras from my sowing or ones I just didn't end up using. I have a few varieties of Butterfly bushes. Nothing is springing back to life here yet, but when it does I could take some cuttings and root them for you. I have about 5 or 6 different ones. Not sure of the names on all of them but they are all different. Hoping mine came back too after all that snow and then flooding. I am hoping I didn't loose anything from roots rotting with all the standing water and cold. I am seeing signs of life from my pulmonary and geraniums. Gonna go back out today to see if anything else is poking through or waking up.
I'm with you. I haven't been in the workplace either for 5 years. I try to work from home with the kids, but that is hard too. I am always behind on everything and tired. As soon as it stays nice out my energy will come back.
Hope everyone is well and the sun stays shining~Heather

hello
heather - thank you very much for the seeds, our soil was wet for weeks I think that is why the BB rotted. I don't needed named ones but I always have hundereds of butterflies on my bushes, I'll miss them.

the sun is just starting to come up and all the birds are singing, I can hear finches, sparrows, robins, cardinals, one that is "laughing", and some I can't identify.

I don't drink coffee but I love iced tea, I gotta get a new iced tea brewer today mine broke. flavered tea and iced tea flaverings are great too. I love growing mint to put in my tea. I love large travel cups that fit in the cup holders of the truck so I can take my tea with me, I don't like the teas at the drive thrus.

my boys are sleeping better now that we can get out and run around during the day.
usuly they are up by 5am but they are still in bed today.

I know who I would like to send to next month but I don't know if it is to soon to post it.

well I better get out of bed and get dresed.
have a great day everyone
micyrey

I posted a new thread for April. Anyone who wants to go and pick who they would like to send to sure can.

Heather, send a bit of that sunshine back will ya ;-)

Hugs,
Tina

Julie....Julie your box arrived today. I loved going through everything.

Julie sent me 2 pr. of garden gloves. One pr. is orange and has grips for raking etc. The other pr. are green. A little fairy garden ornament, a woodpecker treat bar. The woodpeckers have been pecking at my pine cone feeder now they'll have something of their own. Cute little spoons to use as labels (where did you get these???) I have to cut my labels down so they fit under my grow lights. These are perfect. She also sent me a T-shirt with New York on it and a gardening scene on the front. I'm sure it will fit. Also an issue of Horticulture Mag, Intensive Heel Cream (boy do I need that) and a bag of Cherry Cordial Kisses. My husband already has his eye on those. Lots of seeds that I don't have. Echinacea tenneseensis, Aqulegia 'Wm. Guinness',Sea Pinks (formosa-hybrid),Vision Violet Geranium, Catnip,Gaillardia 'Red Plume', Canary Bird Vine (I almost bought some of those seeds today) and Sangiusorba 'Album' (Great Burnet). Gosh I hope I didn't miss anything. Thanks so much Julie I love all your gifts.

Hugs,
Mariann

TINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my lands! I got my box today (can you tell?)
you are just the sweetest thing!
This is what was in my box,
Solid green leaf Pothos- Jade
Silver spotted pothos
Marble queen pothos
Goldfish plant
Lipstick plant
Oh you just made my day! 1 question though, on the 2 succulents do you root them in water or just stick them in the soil???
wait there was more (even though that was more then enough in my book!)
vaseline moisturizing bath beads
ginger citrus sugar scrub (and it smells soooo good!)
a garden plaque that says "scatter seeds of happiness"

thank you so much Tina! For some reason my 11 year old SON made off with the vaseline bath beads (what in the world?)
I think he thinks it is bubble bath, the men in my life really like their bubbles (and yes this includes my husband) he would just die if he knew I told that *snicker*
micke

Mariann, I'm glad you liked the box. I had a hard time thinking of what to put in this month for some reason. I used to demonstrate foods for Tastefully simple and that's where those spoons are from. I love them.

I entered a post last night and now I don't see it. It was about the awesome box I got from Alison. My kids and I oooohed and ahhhhhed over it for 1/2 hour when it came. THANK YOU ALISON. We love everything (except my thighs, they don't like the chocolate but I sure do!)

I will post a full inventory when I have more time, it's going to take a while to type. Thank you so much Alison.

Micke - LoL - I am happy that you lied your box :-)
As for the succulents, you can root them in soil. Just keep them on the moist side. I remember you saying something last fall when I posted pics of our remodeling efforts, that you was eyeballing the houseplants, so I was just waiting for the right time to send some :-)

It is all rainy and dreary here, warm today though. In our 7 day forecast, it showed Wed. with a high of 39....very depressing :-(. I wish weather was a bit more predictable. We had a couple of days in the 80's, the rest have been in the 70's and 60's with the exception of the last couple that have been in the 50's. 30's sounds like winter to me.
The low is 27 for that night. I hope that doesn't kill off any of the plants emerging from their winters nap.

OK, going to the new thread for April now

Hugs,
Tina

Micke - I am glad that you liKed your box! Not LIED!!!!! LoL

Hugs,
Clumsy Fingers

Lol! My fingers have been pretty clumsy themselves, not used to working them all day! Thank you for the info on the succulents:)

HAPPY BE-LATED BIRTHDAY HEATHER!!!!!!

I just got back in town yesterday and there was a huge box waiting for me from Tina. :)
Tina sent a wonderful pamper basket filled with a sea foam sponge, bath beads, sweet nectar candle( it smells sooooo gooooood) a lavender and vanilla gift pouch with body lotion, soaps and shower gel. Tina, thank you so much I really needed this after a long, busy and insane week. After a long hot bubble bath(Lavender is soo relaxing)I drifted in to a deep sleep( which does not happen that often). Tina, thank you again this was priceless.
Oh, that's not all, she also sent me a big and fluffy oven and pocket mitt in a sage color.
A 12" Coco planter filled with bulbs and roots(Astilbe amethyst for my shade garden, Phlox prime minister and assorted color Liatris. I am so excited since I did not have any of these, they will all be planted this afternoon. Thank you so much for the oversized, thoughtful and much appreciated box you sent.
Big Hugggssss
Deanie